Hellgates Unleashed
by Hunter Stag
Summary: After a sinister vermin ritual opens a portal to Hellgates, a squirrel named Rain must fight to reclaim the world of the living from the inhabitants of the underworld. Rated T for violence.
1. Prologue

_Mossflower is gone._

_The product of a sinister vermin ritual, demons from Hellgates have invaded the world of the living. They care not for allegiance, nor purpose. Their only objective; to destroy all life and claim the world for their own. After the first few days, it was clear that the demons could not be destroyed by normal means._

_However, one positive result of this attack is evident. At the same time as Hellgates opening, Dark Forest's gates have released their own inhabitants. Champions of old have returned to life and guide the survivors of the attack, as around them, the world turns into a wasteland. Grass dies, becoming a diseased yellow. Leaves fall from trees whose trunks turn black and twist into unnatural shapes. Only two places in the world are able to survive their influence. _

_Salamandastron, home of the Badger Lords and their fearless Long Patrol, their ranks swollen by the returning veterans from Dark Forest and kept safe by the mysterious magic that permeates its rocks. _

_And Redwall, protected by the magic of its founder's blade, now a haven of many in Mossflower that do not have the strength to make the journey to Salamandastron. _

_Other things have come to pass as well. Energy from the otherworlds has fused itself with the remaining inhabitants, allowing some of the survivors to defend themselves from the hellish creatures that have ruined the ancient forests. Guided by the former inhabitants of Dark Forest, the users have managed to hold their own against the demons._

_Though not all share this gift. In various places, creatures that have not received magic from the openings have been forced to rely on physical methods of defense, holding the line against the enemy with enchanted weapons that have now become the norm. _

_They are the Dark Ones. The others are called Wielders. They are both rare, the rest of the surviving creatures being normal and unchanged._

_But both Redwall and Salamandastron have retained their policy of open doors, which, in this world, is now more vital than ever._

_But there is hope for the living. One squirrel, a Dark One named Rain, has a destiny of more importance than any before him. He will reclaim the world of the living.  
_

_If he does not, the consequences will be direr than anybeast can imagine._

**This is basically the backstory to the story. I'll post this and see if anyone reads it before posting the rest. R and R, please!**


	2. Kindling

Mossflower burned.

Two squirrels, a tall female in a long blue robe and her little son, ran down the path towards Redwall, trying to outrun the pounding feet that followed them, coming ever closer.

They came in sight of the walls. The squirrel watchman ran down the stairs and stood by the gates, ready to open them when the time came.

Outside the pair came ever closer, a cloud of red behind them. Stopping outside the gates, the mother turned to face the threat. Blue energy crackled around her paws as she raised them and fired a lightning strike into the cloud.

It roared in pain and disgorged a monstrosity. Covered in grey plates of bone and sporting two wicked horns from its head, the demon growled and stepped forward as the sorceress fired another blast of magic into it. The lightning hit the demon in the chest, knocking it back a step and sparking all over its body. The creature opened its mouth and spat a ball of red fire.

The mother turned briefly and threw her son closer to the gate before turning to shield herself from the blast. It was deflected as the squirrelwife was thrown backwards and rolled several times before coming to a stop. The fire added to the inferno surrounding the Abbey that, mysteriously, came no closer to the walls.

The mother's son huddled up against the wall in fright, covering his eyes from the grim spectacle. As fire engulfed his mother and spread onto the sides of the road engulfing more plants in fire, he screamed. "Mother!"

The demon's red eyes glowed and it turned to the little one, stepping forward and baring its sharp teeth in an anticipatory grin.

The mother, her fur singed and covered in burns and scratches, got up from where she was lying and looked at her son. "Rain?" Her eyes filling with horror as the demon got closer to her cowering babe, she ran forward. "Rain!"

"Mother!" little Rain cried as he pressed himself into the wall as the demon reached out to him with sharp, gleaming claws.

Rain's mother stopped and a ball of silver-white energy formed in her paw. "Rain!" she shouted. "Get down!" She hurled the ball and it hit the demon, blowing it away from her son into the burning trees. Rain still cowered against the wall but looked up, his soot-streaked face wet with tears as he stared into his mother's blue eyes. _His _eyes.

"Mama…" he asked. "Why is this happening?"

Rain's mother hugged him close. "I don't know, dear. But you'll be safe soon."

Rain caught the hidden meaning behind the words. "But…what about you, Mama?"

Rain's mother looked up as burning branches crashed and embers flew. "Run, Rain!"

The demon burst from the trees, hitting her and sending her flying into the ashen surface of a burning tree. As the demon stepped over to her and leaned in close, a pair of blue orbs began to form in her paws.

The gate opened. A group of Redwallers quickly ran out. An otter grabbed Rain and began to carry him inside. Rain's mother gave one last cry. "Goodbye, Rain!"

As the gate closed, Rain screamed. "_MOTHER!"_

The blue flash of light was the last that he ever saw of her alive.

**There you have it. Mooootivation. She's not really gone, though. She'll be like his guardian angel. Anyways, R and R!**


	3. Rain

_"Mother!"_

Rain sat bolt upright in his bed, breathing heavily. He finally realized that he was dreaming and sighed, holding his head in his paws. Tears fell onto the blanket. Rain got up and went to the window in his room, the blue symbols on his door glowing softly and giving the room a soothing tone. It wasn't working. Rain was not _soothed_. He sighed again as he looked across the lawn, watching the perpetual storm spit lightning at the burned remains of the forests, the grass coated in ash.

There was a frantic knocking at his door and then it burst open, allowing a trio of creatures to run into the room with weapons drawn. Tam MacBurl looked at Rain. "You were talking in your sleep again, Rain."

Felldoh, on his right, snorted. "Screaming again, more like."

Rain blinked. "I dreamt about my mother again."

Martin, on Tam's left, walked over to the squirrel and put a paw on his shoulder. "You miss her, don't you?"

"She gave her life for you, Rain." Tam said. "Don't forget that."

"You think I have?" Rain asked, whirling on him. "You think I _can_ forget with the forest burned to the ground? The sky? The demons that we see roaming around? The three-quarters-dead creatures that we drag into the abbey?"

Felldoh fingered the spear he carried, the blue sigils on the darkwood haft and blade glistening in the gloom. "There was nothing you could do, Rain. That demon was too powerful for you to even try to stop it."

"My mother stopped it."

"Your mother wasn't a Dark One!" Felldoh barked.

Rain narrowed his eyes. "Mind your words, Felldoh. I may be a Dark One, but I'm better with weapons than you are."

Felldoh growled and pointed his spear at Rain, the glow of the sigils throwing the dark squirrel's face into relief. Martin stepped between them, his paws held out. "Enough. Fighting won't get us anywhere, and we can't afford to kill one another." He looked at Rain. "Do you understand?"

Rain nodded. "Yes."

"This is the fifth dream that you've had about your mother. All under different circumstances. What do you think it means?"

Rain shrugged. "I don't know. But I want to find out."

"You can't go out!" Tam said. "It's not safe."

Rain looked at him gravely. "I don't care. If I die, at least I'll see my mother again."

Martin sighed. "We'll talk to the Council. Come on."

The four walked out of the room, the storm outside giving a muted roar as thunder sounded. Inside Redwall, almost no one was up yet. The elders however, were. They always were, conferring with the other past Warriors of the abbey. They looked up as Martin cleared his throat. "We're sorry to disturb you, elders, but Rain had another dream."

Dandin nodded. "So we heard."

Felldoh snorted but said nothing. Martin looked at him briefly, but then began to speak. "This is the fifth one in a row. This can't be coincidence."

Abbot Mortimer knitted his paws together. "And what do you suggest?"

Rain finally broke in. "I want to go out and try to find more information. Aside from the fact that she was a Wielder, I know nothing about her that I can remember."

There was an immediate course of denial. When order was finally restored, Triss came up and put her paw on his shoulder. "Think of it, Rain. Those demons are always around. What do you plan to do?"

Rain shrugged. "I may find other Dark Ones. It's not like they're hard to recognize." It was true. A Dark One could be identified by their unusually dark fur. Rain's dark red, almost black fur shone in the candlelight as he waited for the elders to discuss the proposal.

Abbot Saxtus shook his head. "No. I'm sorry, Rain, but we can't let you go."

"And what will happen if I don't?" Rain asked. "We were plagued by demons the entire way to Redwall. They were always powerful ones. She _must_ have known something that we didn't. Maybe even a way to banish the demons permanently. You've seen them. They periodically try to break past the barriers. We can't even _use_ the sword because it's the only thing keeping Redwall safe! They may find a way around it eventually!"

"Rain…" Tam muttered warningly.

Rain continued as if he hadn't heard. "She was _my_ mother, not yours! She was preparing even before this happened! Another thing that I knew was that she was a sorceress before we came here! And a good one at that! Why shouldn't I go? If we really were chased for a reason, then at least let me find out!"

_"Enough!"_ Luke the Warrior roared. "That's enough, Rain! You are not going, and that is _final!_"

Rain glared at them all. Abbess Mhera walked over to him and hugged him gently. Rain turned his head away from her. "It's for the best, Rain." Mhera whispered. "This is for your own good."

Rain pulled away from her and walked out of the room. Deyna walked over and put a paw on his sister's shoulder. "It's alright, Mhera. You did your best."


	4. Memories

Later that night, Rain stole into the armory that had been made out of an empty broom closet. Taking a sword, a spear, and a bow and quiver, he silently moved to the kitchens, the butt of his spear gently clacking on the hard stones. Taking a haversack and loading it with plain food, he climbed out the window. Thunder rolled as he stole across the lawns and towards the wall. He hadn't carried a cloak. It never rained. Water gave life and put out fires. The wind never blew, either. Wind spread seeds.

Rain climbed the steps of the walls, then jumped into the trees. He looked briefly at Redwall, knowing that he was leaving safety behind, before turning and running into the forest.

From the window facing the squirrel's departure, Martin crossed his arms and sighed. Luke came up beside him. Martin looked up at his father. "Do you think he'll be alright?"

Luke pressed his lips together and shook his head. "I don't know, Martin. But if that squirrel is half the fighter I think he is, we might finally put an end to this."

Rain ran as fast as he could through the blackened and charred forest. He didn't bother to go into them. They were devoid of leaves, and had no cover. The River Moss was dry. What grass remained was a dead brown. Rain finally slowed down, looking around and leaning on his spear to catch his breath. He looked around. He could remember what route he and his mother took to get to Redwall, now all he had to do was get there.

Through five days of possible demon attacks and the natural hazards that came with this accursed new world. Stepping forward, he felt the ground give slightly under him. The squirrel looked down and was about to move when the ground gave way completely, causing the squirrel to fall into a large tunnel in a shower of ash. He lay on his back, dazed. He had landed in a pile of dirt that was lying underneath the hole he had just made.

Rain heard a scrape as someone picked up his spear and pointed it at him. He looked up the shaft at the wielder. "Aren't we in enough danger without us all killing one another?"

The figure brought the spear up close to them, revealing the face of an otter. "No offense, but we can't afford to take chances. You might be a demon in disguise."

Rain snorted. "Please. They'd just come in here and overwhelm you all by sheer weight of numbers."

There was another voice, a female voice, which pierced the darkness. "Father, I can sense him. He isn't a demon."

A soft white light appeared, floating above the paw of a young female otter. She had deep, kind blue eyes and a nice smile. She wore a plain, red robe. "Besides, he's a Dark One."

Her father nodded and took Rain's arm, helping him up and giving his spear back. "A Dark One, eh? Where're you from, son?"

"Redwall Abbey. My name's Rain."

The otter clapped him on the shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Rain. A hopeful name, considering this place is as dry as a bone."

Rain smiled and nodded. "Indeed."

The otter nodded back, then looked around. "Katrina, could you seal the tunnel please? I don't want any other visitors."

Katrina raised her arms and the amount of ash and dirt that Rain had brought in with him flew upwards, back into place. As she dropped her arms, her father beckoned. "Come. Even underground, it's not really safe."

The three walked along for a short time, their way lit by Katrina's glowing ball. She extinguished it a short while later as other lights became visible. Rain looked around at the lanterns that protruded from the walls. Two other otters stood in front of a tunnel, their sigil-laced bows and arrows trained on the route that the trio had come down. Rain's breath caught in his chest as he saw the underground holt. Otters were everywhere, working, building, or training. The thing that caught Rain's eye the most, however, was the water.

He looked at Katrina. She was about his age, about his height. She looked back and smiled in response to his unasked question. "They got all of the water above ground, but they missed underground. There are numerous underground communities like this one, all waiting out the demons."

Katrina's father left to see to some unspecified business. His daughter led Rain down a path towards the holt, still explaining things to him. "There's a network of tunnels under Mossflower. The fires during the burning didn't weaken the roots, so the roofs of the tunnels are strong. Those are our escape and trade routes. All of the different towns share weapons, supplies, and warriors when the need arises."

Rain nodded, looking around. Otters in boats rowed through tunnels at lower levels that were filled with water. He assumed those led to the other villages. Then he looked at the other otters. They were strong, content, and had the look of survivors. Katrina led him through the village towards a small den near the bay that stretched all the way around the town.

Leading him in, Katrina pushed aside a curtain and walked inside. Rain followed her, and looked around curiously. A forge lay in one corner, for the moment unused. A set of wooden stairs led downward and a small square table, set for two but large enough for four, was on another side of the room, next to a simple oven. After Rain put his weapons by the door, Katrina took his paw and led him downstairs.

"This is my room," she said as they entered a small room filled with bookcases and small chests. Rain opened one and found a multitude of necklaces in the shape of sigils. He looked at her. "Your father makes weapons for the town's warriors, right?"

Katrina nodded. "That's right. He goes around the guards every day to make sure that their weapons are in good condition. We haven't had a demon attack yet, but we're prepared if they do come."

Rain picked up a small sigil and rolled it from paw to paw, feeling the cold metal. He looked at the shape it was in. It was the symbol that meant "Protection"…

"Ah!" he groaned as he sank to his knees and would have pitched forward onto the floor if Katrina hadn't caught him. She brought him upright, looking into his eyes. "What is it?"

Rain picked up the necklace again. "Where…where did you get this necklace?"

"My father was wandering around near Redwall and he found it lying on the ground. Why?"

Rain looked at the necklace carefully, hoping it wouldn't do what it had just done, flood his mind with memories. "My mother had one just like it…before she died."

Katrina cocked her head to one side. "Who was your mother?"

"She was a sorceress even before all of this happened. Sorceress, healer, prophetess, you name it. She could do it all. She sensed it coming. When the demons first appeared, we survived by hiding in our home for days. Then, when she was sure it was safe, she led me out. I was very small at the time, and she had to carry me a lot. We traveled for five days, and my mother periodically had to fight off attacks by roving demons. Mossflower was ablaze and more than once we came across a scorched body, the remains of some poor wretch that wasn't able to get to Redwall or avoid the demons. When we finally got there, we were attacked by a very powerful demon. My mother held it off, but it overwhelmed her. She killed it, but died herself in the process."

Katrina put a paw on his cheek. "I'm sorry."

Rain took the necklace and hung it around his neck. He looked at it again. He may have been a Dark One, but even they could retain some abilities that Wielders had. This was from his mother…he could _feel_ it.

The door slammed upstairs. Katrina's father was calling her name. The ottermaid smiled and rose. "Come on. You should stay with us for a while."

Rain smiled and followed her as she ascended the stairs and then walked over to help her father prepare dinner. Rain walked out of the den and stared at the ceiling. The cavern was large, but there was no wind. _Just like outside_.

He turned the sigil in his hands again, taking in every detail. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Images flashed behind his eyes.

_Blinding pain as Rain is born._

_Fear as demons burn the forest around their underground den._

_The feeling of a tear as a blinding blue light eclipses his sight._

Then finally…

_A path to the east, coming out near Salamandastron before turning south and moving to a ruined castle. An enormous rift hung in the air above it, and demons moved among the ruins._

Rain's eyes snapped open. Katrina stood next to him, her paw held out, about to shake him. Her face was worried. "What did you see?"

Rain shook his head to clear it. "Memories. I was right. My mother _did_ know where they came from."

Katrina looked back into the house, then back at him. "Can I go with you?"

Rain shook his head. "No. I need to do this alone. Besides, you're needed here."

"There are other Wielders."

Rain blinked twice, but sighed. "Only if your father says you can."

**You can infer from why it never rains or that wind never blows that the demons are really committed to making the world a wasteland. Anyways, they're going to start on their journey soon! R and R, please! (And to those of you who feel to ask why I put "direr" in the backstory, my spellcheck wanted to do it.)  
**


	5. Journey

Katrina didn't ask her father at dinner. Rain was asleep in her room in a corner later that night, covered with a blanket, when he woke suddenly. He heard her paws walking towards him. He rolled over, surprising her slightly. She recovered quickly and smiled. "My father said yes."

She wasn't lying. Rain nodded, then rolled over again.

The next morning, Katrina followed Rain to the door, a haversack over her shoulders. Her father stopped them at the door, holding out a dagger traced with sigils. "Here, Katrina. Take this."

"I'm a Wielder, dad. I don't need a weapon."

Rain shook his head. "Take it, Katrina. Sometimes, even to a Wielder, a weapon can come in handy."

Katrina hesitantly took the dagger and put it in her belt. Rain nodded to her father. "Thank you for having me."

The otter nodded. "You're always welcome." In an aside as Katrina preceded him out the door, he whispered "Take care of her, Rain."

Rain nodded. "I will. Don't worry."

As Rain and Katrina walked towards a tunnel that led out of the holt, an enormous explosion rocked the cavern. Rain looked out at the smoking hole that had suddenly appeared in the side of the cave. Demons began to pour from it, and the clanging of an alarm bell began to echo from the rocks.

Rain walked back to Katrina, who was staring out of the tunnel, stunned. "Come on. We can't stay."

"But we have to help!" she protested.

"No, Katrina! We're leaving! Now!"

The ottermaid hung back for a moment, but Rain pulled her until they were out of sight of the tunnel. It took a very long time for the screams, roars, and shouts of combat behind them to fade away. Katrina led the way, crying silently. Rain came beside her and put a paw on her shoulder. "There was nothing you could have done."

Katrina suddenly stopped and sank to her knees, burying her head in her paws and sobbing uncontrollably. Rain knelt by her and hugged her close, letting her cry into the shoulder of his tunic. He closed his eyes, blessing the otters for their unasked-for service.

They were outside of the tunnels and close to the coast by nightfall. There was no wood to make a fire that hadn't already been burned. Now that night had fallen, the sunless day gave way to a far darker night. Katrina conjured a fire that would light nothing but the area around them and hung in an orb floating in the air. Rain was attempting to scrape a bed out of the ash when she suddenly spoke.

"What do you think is happening to the dead right now?"

Rain kicked the ash angrily. "I don't know. But I know that they're not coming back to life."

She was silent for a short time before asking another question. "How do you even know where we're going?"

Rain turned and sat down. Fingering the sigil, he held it up in front of his eyes. "I saw the path we need to take in this. We need to go to Salamandastron, then turn south and head that way until we see the ruins of a castle. And I have no idea how long that will take."

Katrina sighed, then looked up at him again. "What do you think happened to them?"

Rain shrugged. "If they're lucky, they'll fight until the demons kill them. If they're smart, they might escape. I don't know."

Katrina lay down and tried to go to sleep. Rain remained awake, watching out for anything approaching. Their fire couldn't be seen by anyone but them and anyone within a yard, but he was still nervous. He was sure that, if he went to sleep, he would dream of his mother again. He kept his spear close by as its sigils glowed a soft blue, augmenting the light from the magical fire. He sat against the ashen trunk of a tree stump and watched Katrina sleep. He became lost in the steady rise and fall of her chest, and the rhythm eventually lulled him to sleep.

Rain awoke to hear scrabbling around their campsite. A form was scuttling around it, looking for something. Rain quietly took his spear in his paw and flipped it with the butt facing the figure. He hefted it and threw.

The spear hit the form with a muffled _clunk_ and it fell to the ground, thrashing. Rain ran forward, drawing his sword and pointing it at the figure's throat. "Don't move, or I'll kill you now."

He dragged the figure over to the fire and threw it to the ground. He sighed at the identity.

Lying on the ground in front of him was a mouse. Male, young, athletic-looking. He was a Dark One. Rain stabbed his spear into the ground and sat in front of him. "Sit up. What is your name?"

The mouse sat up and looked around nervously, then, noticing Rain's paw still curled around the haft of the spear, spoke. "M'name's Airon. Who are you?"

"My name is Rain." The squirrel motioned to Katrina, who was still sleeping. "That's Katrina. If you wanted food, you could have woken one of us."

Airon nodded. "I know…I was just…"

"Scared?" Rain guessed, cocking his head to one side. Airon nodded ashamedly. Rain sighed. "So. What's your story?"

Airon pressed his lips together, then sighed. "My family and I were up north when the demons first came. We and a few other groups managed to escape into the mountains. We heard about Redwall, how it was untouched. We tried to go there, but we were ambushed on the way. We didn't have the weapons we had now. We just had regular swords and spears. They slaughtered everyone except me. I managed to get away."

Rain sighed. "There've been too many deaths. Are you still going to Redwall?"

Airon nodded. "I figured that coming close to the sea was safer."

Rain stood up, then walked over to his haversack and began to sift through it. He came back with bread, cheese, and a skin of water, then set them down in front of Airon. As the mouse tore the food apart and guzzled the drink, he spoke. "If you're interested, I and Katrina are going to the portal that they came out of."

Airon's cheeks bulged and he let out a spray of water, coughing and hacking. "W-wh…_What?_ You can't possibly do that! You'll never make it!"

Rain shook his head. "It has to be me. I'm the only one that can decipher the memories my mother left in this." He held up the necklace for Airon to look at. "I can give you a weapon. Do you fight?"

Airon nodded. "My father taught me to use a spear."

Rain tossed him the spear. "Stay close to us at all times. You never know when a demon is going to pop up."

He turned onto his side. "And, since you interrupted me, you can keep the rest of the watch."

Airon didn't complain. Rain tried to fall asleep, and, amazingly, was able to rest dreamlessly.

**For anyone wondering how you pronounce Airon's name, it's an alternate spelling of "Aaron." R and R, please!**


	6. The Mountain

The next morning, Katrina dispelled the fire and they began to walk again, Rain filling her in on Airon's arrival during the night. They moved steadily through the blackened trees, not stopping. Sometime around noon, the trees stopped. Rain sighed in relief as he heard a noise.

Waves crashing against the shore. Beside him, Katrina smiled. "So they didn't get here."

"Yet."

They kept walking. The ash from the forest was blowing onto the sand of the beach, making it even harder to walk on than normal. Rain looked at the sea. "We'll go towards the beach, then south. It'll be easier to walk on."

They proceeded there, and Rain sighed as he realized he wasn't hearing any other beach sounds. No gulls cawing, no fish jumping from the waves. As they reached the shore, Airon ran up on top of a rock and squinted, then smiled. As his companions walked below him, he jumped down. "There's a big mountain a few miles away. That's probably the badger mountain."

Rain smiled. "Good. Let's go."

They started running, feeling the waves rush around their feet. They were only about a mile away from the mountain when they heard a series of loud screeches. Rain stopped short. "What's that?"

The ground began to shake behind them. They all turned and saw a horde of demons pouring over the dunes toward them. They were large, had muscular legs and spade-shaped heads filled with sharp teeth longer than Rain's ears. Spikes protruded from their backs and they gave high-pitched screeching noises as they charged at the trio. Rain snatched Airon's spear from him and turned to the mouse. "Go get help. Run to the mountain."

"I can fight!" Airon shouted back.

"No! We need you to go get help. If we die before they get here, warn the Long Patrol."

Airon hesitated for a moment, then turned and ran as fast as he could. Rain turned back to the front. The horde was approaching fast. He took out his bow and a small number of arrows, sticking them into the ground beside him, then took one and readied his bow. Beside him, Katrina's paws began to glow as she readied her magic.

"Now!" Rain shouted. They both let loose with arrows and barrages of energy, dropping demons as they ran. Rain fired arrow after arrow, never missing. He had trained for this. They _all_ had.

More demons fell, some with smoking craters in their flesh, or with arrows sprouting from their chests or heads. Rain heard a screech, but wasted his arrow on another demon just as he heard it. He looked to the side as a flying demon dove towards him. A blast of magic hit it in the chest and it swerved suddenly, crushing two other demons when it hit the ground. Rain nodded to Katrina and kept shooting.

The demons got ever closer. Rain held his last arrow until one was close enough to leap the final ten feet that separated it from him. Rain shot it in the throat, dodged the falling body, then hit another across the head with a blow from his spear. Katrina was still using her magic, but Rain saw one paw straying towards her dagger. Rain saw two other demons, larger than the others. One readied a white ball of energy and hurled it like a stone at him. He cringed, preparing for the end. When it hit, though, it merely threw him backwards several feet. He rolled to a stop, then raised his head. The demons were now concentrating on Katrina. Rain heard her scream as a demon's slashing claws lacerated her back, scoring three enormous wounds across it. Rain had managed to hold onto his spear in the fall. He got up, and hurled it, impaling a demon that was about to finish the ottermaid off through the head. Drawing his sword, he ran back towards the battle. One demon leapt at him. He swung the sword upward and horizontally, cleaving the thing in half. The sword's sigils seemed to glow brighter as the demon's green blood spurted along its length. Rain blocked a claw blow and beheaded its owner, then turned and stabbed another demon.

He looked behind him as the demons hesitated to attack him. Katrina was lying on her back, unconscious. Her dagger lay unused beside her. Rain dove backward and picked it up, then stood over the ottermaid's body. The demons came again. Rain's blades flashed and stabbed, spraying blood over the beach, over his body, and into the surf. Stabbing one demon in the chest, he beheaded it, then spun, swiping another demon's head from its shoulders. He turned again and saw two demons leaping at him. He raised his sword in the air and ducked, and felt the demon strike it and the resulting spray of blood as the sword cleaved it from neck to hip. The other one was now too close to raise anything. Rain was about to dodge when a shower of arrows streaked into the fight, killing every demon they touched, including the demon about to kill Rain.

"Eulaliaaaaaaa!" A number of Long Patrol hares ran towards the fight, their blades glittering with red sigils as they cut into the demons, driving them back. Yelping in fear at their prey's now bolstered numbers the demons retreated, disappearing over the dunes. Rain immediately sheathed his blade and ran over to Katrina, setting the dagger down beside her. "Katrina, it's me. Rain. Can you hear me?"

Katrina's eyes fluttered and opened slightly. Rain picked her up gently as she laced her arms around his shoulders. He looked at the hares. "You cut that fine."

"Sorry." Airon said as he moved out from among them. "They had to arm first."

The ranking officer among the hares looked at the damage that the two had wrought. "I say bucko! I s'pose you and the lady did all this?"

Rain nodded. "Yes."

He looked towards the piles of demon bodies. As the officer called for a healer, he set Katrina down and walked into the massacre, stepping on demon bodies as he retrieved his arrows and spear. When he came back, Katrina had been bandaged and was semiconscious. As the hares made a stretcher with spears and tunics, she smiled at him. Rain smiled back and mouthed "Good job."

The group went back towards the mountain, and Rain fingered the necklace. He kissed it and closed his eyes, thinking. _Thank you, Mother. Looks like you are still watching over me._

**In addition to providing him with a guide, Rain's necklace also takes its meaning of "Protection" literally. He'll be protected from any hostile magic used against him. R and R!**


	7. The Lords

After they arrived at the mountain, Katrina had been taken to the infirmary. Rain decided to go take a bath to clean the demon blood that had sprayed him during the fight. Airon, worn out from running to the mountain and back, went to the rooms that the hares had given him and went to sleep. As Rain soaked in the tub-a depression in the rock that held a steady stream of hot water-he sighed. _If we keep getting attacked like we did today,_ he thought, _then we'll be dead before we even get there._

Getting out of the water, he dried himself and dressed, walking to the infirmary. As he walked, he could see creatures other than hares walking around. _Refugees,_ Rain thought. They all looked grim. Wasted. Rain sighed. He came to the infirmary as a healer walked out. She put a paw on his shoulder. "She'll be fine. You're lucky that we came to you when we did."

"For two reasons." Rain replied.

The healer smiled. "Indeed. Those wounds would have been fatal if we had brought her in any later."

"May I see her?"

The healer stepped aside and the Rain walked in. The infirmary was mostly empty, a few creatures grouped together on one side. Katrina lay on the other side of the infirmary, lying on her side. Rain walked over to her and sat on the bed beside her. The ottermaid smiled, showing a set of perfectly white, even teeth. Rain cocked his head to one side. "Are you alright?"

Katrina nodded. "I saw you save me. You killed that demon."

Rain blushed slightly, the fur on his cheeks becoming rosier. "Er…eh…It was nothing."

Katrina giggled. She had a nice laugh, like windchimes.

A voice at the door drew both their attentions. "Excuse me for interrupting, sir, but the Lords and Ladies wish to speak to you."

Rain rose and, with one last look at Katrina, left the room. The hare that had delivered the message led him up flight after flight of stone stairs. Just as Rain thought they would come out of the top of the mountain, they entered a large room. A rectangular window dominated one side, and in the center there was a long, semicircular table at which sat over a score of badgers. Rain bowed respectfully. "You wanted to see me?"

One of the lords, a wise-looking badger carrying a hardwood staff and wearing a green robe, nodded. "Yes. You are the squirrel Rain, correct?"

Rain nodded. The badger gave an impressed smile. "We saw some of your battle from the window. You are a skilled fighter."

"I've been training all my life. And I'm highly motivated."

"How?" another badger, this one with a huge broadsword taller than Rain was at his side, asked.

"My mother was a sorceress where we lived. We went to Redwall a few days after the demons reached our home. Outside its gates, she was killed."

"We are sorry for your loss," said a snow white lord. "Where are you going that would lead you here? You carry well-made weapons, you have supplies, and you do not share the look of the poor souls we drag into the mountain from time to time."

Rain swallowed. "I am heading south. We were going to rest here for a time before Katrina was injured. As soon as she's well again, I plan to continue."

A very old badger cocked his head to one side. "And what is in the south that would prompt you to go there?"

"The portal that the demons came from."

There was a long, whispered discussion. Finally, another badger sitting next to the albino began to chuckle. "You are indeed ambitious, my boy. But if you do plan to continue, you have a hard road ahead of you. One does not simply walk to that place. It is separated from this region by a great desert that has undoubtedly been made all the more dangerous by these monstrosities. Then, once you get there, there is the matter of coming to the portal. The place is crawling with demons of all forms and sizes. The very air is contaminated with their putrid breath. If you did manage to survive all of that, there is an army of demons around that portal at all times. You can do nothing to stop them."

"I plan to try." Rain replied calmly, fingering his mother's necklace. "If I can't get there by land, I will go underground, and if there are no tunnels, I may go by the sea."

The badger with the staff smiled. "You are not easily deterred."

"It's the only way to reverse this. That is another motivation."

A badger with a wicked-looking sword pounded on the table once with a massive paw. He spoke to the hare that entered. "Check with the harbor guard and see if we have a ship available. If we do, crew it. They are ordered to guard this squirrel and his friends with their lives."

The hare saluted and left. The badger looked at Rain again. "You may go. There may be an unprecedented advantage to this."

Rain did not move, tilting his head to one side. "And what might that advantage be?"

"Such an ambitious move may prompt whoever leads these demons to pull them all back to defend the portal."

Rain shrugged. "You may be right."

He turned and left. Airon was waiting for him outside. "What did they say?"

"We're taking a ship to the portal as soon as Katrina's better."

Airon smiled. "Good. I'm already tired of waiting around."

Rain smiled too. _But for the good of us all, I hope it's the right thing to do._

**Those of you that have read every Redwall book can probably make out which Badger Lords are speaking. We're getting closer to the climax now, so you can bet on another fight scene and a character death soon. Feel free to speculate. R and R, please! Keep reading! I didn't expect this to be received so positively...**


	8. Departure

The next day, Katrina was able to walk again. She and Rain walked around the mountain together as the hares prepared a ship. As they passed a window that allowed them a view of the sea, Katrina cocked her head to one side. "Why do you think they left the sea here?"

"The sea's salt. If you drink saltwater, you could die eventually. And saltwater can't grow anything. The only thing that survives in it is fish and kelp, and I have the distinct feeling that they aren't any threat."

Katrina gave a halfhearted giggle. Airon walked up to them and jerked a paw back over his shoulder. "The ship's almost provisioned. We should be able to leave soon."

"How many hares are going to accompany us?" Rain asked.

"About fifty. None of the badgers, though. They said that they have other business to attend to."

Rain could guess what that business was, but didn't say anything.

There was a commotion from down below. The three ran over to the stairs. A group of hares were in the entranceway of the mountain, helping a group of creatures. Many were wounded.

They were otters.

Katrina ran down towards them, Rain hot on her heels. One of the otters saw her coming and recognized her. "Katrina!"

Katrina slowed to a stop and looked at each otter in turn. "Ford, how did you get away?"

"We were lucky. We fought back with everything we had, but no matter how many we killed, they kept coming. They overran the village. Those you see in front of you are all that survived."

Rain finally caught up to her. "Is your father with them?" he whispered into her ear.

Katrina shook her head dejectedly. Rain hugged her as she started to silently cry. "I'm sorry, Katrina," Ford said. "He died while buying the rest of us time to escape."

"He died well, Katrina." Rain whispered. "Remember that."

Katrina wrapped her arms around Rain and cried into his shoulder. "Was it quick?" she asked, her voice muffled by the fabric of the squirrel's tunic.

Rain looked at Ford and arched an eyebrow. Ford nodded. "Yes. I saw it."

Rain hugged Katrina harder. "I'm sorry. We'll avenge him, Katrina. I promise."

Katrina nodded briefly, then took a deep breath. Turning to the otters, she began to wordlessly walk among them, helping the Wielder hares heal the wounds of the otters.

Rain shook his head. _More lives wasted. _He looked at another hare. "Is the ship ready yet?"

The hare nodded. "They just finished loading everything."

Rain nodded and then began to walk up the stairs. The hare called after him. "Uh, Rain? The hares accompanying you are going to need a meeting point. Where do they go?"

Rain stopped for a moment, then turned. "To war."

He resumed his walk up the stairs.

Dark was upon the mountain as an honor guard of hares stood before the ship. The hares going along knew full well that none of them may return. As the procession neared the boat, the badgers stood in front of it. Russano knelt and put a paw on Rain's shoulders. "You carry the fate of us all, little one."

Rain smiled. "I won't let you down."

He looked back at the small group of otters that stood in the doorway. Katrina stood with them, being embraced by each one before finally turning to join the others. Boar the Fighter looked at Rain. "We'll join you as soon as we can. We've been under the heel of these beasts for far too long."

Rain nodded. "I can only hope that Redwall has the same thought."

He turned and walked up the ramp, pausing to breathe deeply before setting foot on the ship itself. The other hares followed him on, taking up their stations. Katrina was the last on board. She gave Rain a sad smile before walking onto the ship. Rain drew his sword, came to the side of the ship, and gave the assembled creatures a salute before the crew cast off the ship's moorings and the vessel slowly moved out of the bay.

Rain sighed as they took the ship away from the shore. _Soon this will all be over. Whether for good or ill, it will all be over._

**You may be able to recognize the dialogue in some parts from a few movies or video games. They make _really_ good lines! Anyways, R and R!**


	9. Loss

That night, Rain dreamed.

_Two armies, one substantially larger than the other, stood across from one another in the ruins of a castle. Above them, a great tear in the sky spat fire and smoke. One side, the larger side, was demons. The other side was woodlanders, all united for a common cause. The heroes of Redwall, the lords of Salamandastron, and the warriors alongside them. Out in front was a dark-furred squirrel. As Rain watched the squirrel raised his sword and roared "For the living!" a call that was echoed all along the line. The army charged forward towards the mob, roaring with all their might. The demons charged as well, and the instant that the armies met…_

Rain woke. He shook his head to clear it, then swung his legs out of bed, stepping between the bunks and hammocks filled with sleeping hares. Passing the hammock that held Airon, he smiled as the mouse snored loudly, one leg dangling over the edge of the canvas as he slept. Then he came to Katrina's bunk. She was whimpering in her sleep and tears were silently rolling down her face. Rain hugged her as best he could, then kissed her cheek. She stopped whimpering, but the tears didn't stop until a short time later.

Walking out onto the deck, he sat on a crate. The night watch didn't speak to him. He held the necklace up to his face and clasped it in his paws, closing his eyes. "Mother," he whispered. "If you are alive in this necklace, I beg of you. Tell me what I'm supposed to do."

His eyes suddenly snapped open, featureless and white. Behind them, he was standing on a white, featureless plain. He looked around. _What is this place?_

"Rain."

Rain whirled. His mother stood there, her paws hidden in the folds of her robe. Rain gave a small smile. "Mother."

Rain's mother walked forward and enfolded her son in a hug. She smiled. "You've grown up so much."

Rain pulled away slightly, looking at her. "We're on our way. But I'm not sure what to do when we get there."

His mother smiled and stroked his cheek with a paw. "Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing, Rain. You can't plan for everything."

Rain sighed. "I'll do it. But I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that my friends get out of this alive."

"We'll see." She sighed. "Oh, Rain. You're still so young. You shouldn't be doing this. It never should have happened."

"We've all had to do things before the time came to do them, Mother."

Rain's mother nodded. "True. But this is your test. Every path you have trod, through wilderness and through war, has led to this road."

Rain hugged her again. "I miss you, Mom."

His mother hugged him back. "As do I, Rain."

The scene began to turn blindingly white, and the last thing Rain remembered before falling back to sleep was his mother's voice gently singing to him.

_May it be an evening star,  
Shines down upon you.  
May it be as darkness falls,  
Your heart will be true.  
You walk a lonely road;  
Oh, how far you are from home...._

Mornie utúlie,  
Believe and you will find your way.  
Mornie alantie,  
A promise lives within you now....

May it be the shadows call,  
Will fly away.  
May it be your journey on,  
To light the day.  
When the night is overcome,  
You may rise to find the sun.

Mornie utúlie,  
Believe and you will find your way.  
Mornie alantie,  
A promise lives within you now....  
A promise lives within you now....

Rain squeezed his eyes shut as bright sunlight flooded into them. He slowly opened his eyes up to stare into Katrina's blue eyes. The ottermaid gave him a dazzling smile. "Sleep well?"

Rain smiled back and chuckled as Katrina helped him stand. He looked around and then whispered to her. "I need to speak to you and Airon in private."

They met in the storeroom later that day. Rain had told them about his first dream. "I think it's obvious," he said as he paced in front of Airon and Katrina, who were seated on crates on opposite sides of the alley that the squirrel now walked up and down. "We're going to have to fight our way there."

Katrina spoke suddenly, her voice quavering slightly. "Rain, you do know who the ruler of Hellgates is, don't you?"

Rain nodded. "Vulpuz. I know."

"What do we do if he's there?"

Rain sighed and stopped pacing. "To be honest, I don't know. Fight him, I suppose."

Airon brightened up for a moment. "Oh! That reminds me. Before I forget, some of the hares have been helping me make this." He pulled out a small, curved piece of wood with a number of iron attachments and a small, hollow ring inside the curve. There was another curved piece of metal inside it, mounted on a small flexible disc. As with all weapons made nowadays, it was covered in blue sigils that pulsed with light.

Rain took kit, then turned it around in his paws. He cocked his head to one side as he looked down the short, hollow tube. "What is it?"

Airon took it from him, spinning it roguishly before holding it normally. "You wouldn't want to do that when this thing is loaded."

"Loaded with what?" Rain asked. "What does it do?"

Airon grinned. "Well, sometimes in Salamandastron, hares will come across a little bit of some sort of black powder. They did things to it and it showed that it can explode. There's only enough to fill a pouch about…this size, I'd say," he said, taking out a small leather bag and shaking it. "Don't ever, _ever_ get this near an open flame. Might not be enough to kill you, but it'd probably burn something fierce."

He also raised a small, sigil-covered metal ball that was about the size of the thing's barrel. "The Long Patrol's also been testing this little ball of metal here for use in their slings. When the powder explodes it can fling stuff pretty far. So, they decided to put it in this, and they've given it to me for safekeeping."

Katrina looked at it. "How does it work?"

In answer, Airon pushed back one attachment until a loud click sounded. He then put a finger inside the guard and pulled the small piece of metal within it. The attachment shot back into place with a loud ping and a burst of sparks. "The sparks ignite the powder and that's how it goes off. I don't plan to use it unless we're in a really tight spot, though." He put it inside his tunic, where it was almost invisible except for a slight bulge.

The young mouse looked up at them and smiled, patting the thing. "I don't know what to call it yet. You two got any ideas?"

Rain shook his head. "I think we should wait until we see what it can do."

Airon nodded. "I agree."

Rain looked back up the stairs. "I'll go see how much progress we're making. You two should see what you can do to help."

Rain walked up the stairs after seeing them nod. Coming out of the cargo hold, he walked up to the main mast. Climbing the rigging quickly, he moved up beside the lookout. "Have you spotted anything?"

The hare shook his head. "No. There's nothing out here. I can still see land, the occasional flash of fire, but other than that…nothing."

Rain looked around and then pointed at a flickering line that was still a distance away. "What's that? A fire?"

The lookout squinted, then, when he still couldn't see it well enough, he took out a spyglass and looked through it. "I don't know. But I bet it's what we're looking for."

There was also a trio of dark shapes moving towards them. The hare said "Oh dear."

Rain flipped over the side of the crow's nest, then grabbed the mast and slid down it. When he hit the deck he shouted "We've been spotted!"

As hares began to run and prepare for battle, Rain ran up to the rudder and pointed at the shore. "We'll be sitting ducks if we don't get to the shore. Move us as fast as you can."

The hare nodded and turned the ship toward the beach. Meanwhile, the demons came closer. Rain now had his own bow out and pointed. "Hold fire until I give the command."

The demons came closer and closer until one began to conjure a fireball in its mouth. "Now!" Rain shouted. He fired, along with every hare on the ship that could. Sigil-laced arrows shrieked through the air like angry wasps, speeding towards the demons. Two swerved and broke off, but the one with the fireball shot its cargo at the ship. The fire streaked over the ship, landing in the water a short distance away. The demon was riddled with arrows and fell into the ocean close enough to the ship to send water cascading over the railing. Rain turned and fired another arrow at a demon that was flying along the ship's starboard side. The arrow missed, but the demon suddenly turned and swept across the deck. As it reached Rain he took a sword from a nearby barrel and sliced the thing's claws off. As the demon screeched in pain and tried to fly away, Rain took up his bow again and fired an arrow, hitting the back of the demon's head, killing it. It dropped into the water.

Rain looked around. "Where's the last one?"

He was answered by an earsplitting roar as the final demon dove and hit the deck so hard that a hole was smashed through it. Water plumed through it, and Rain growled. "Save everything you can and get to the lifeboats!" he shouted. "I'll deal with this one!"

Leaving the hares to get off the ship, he drew his sword and jumped down into the hole. Katrina wasn't there anymore, and neither was Airon. The demon was moving around the cargo hold, smashing more boards and letting more water in. Rain ran at it and jumped, slicing it across the back as he twisted over it. The demon roared and spun, hitting the squirrel with a claw and sending him flying across the cargo hold. Rain smashed into a bulkhead, dazed. The demon raced across the cargo hold towards him, and Rain ducked as its claws dug into the hull. He spun, slicing the demon across the ribs. Its tail, which, Rain noticed, had a sharp, blade-like spine attached to it, flicked out and sliced his shoulder. Rain let out a small "Ah!" of pain and danced backwards as the blade swept low, aiming to take off his feet. The demon finally managed to extricate itself from the wood and turned to him. It swept its claws at him, but Rain ducked under them, slicing the left one in an elbow. As he rolled between the monster's legs, he sliced one in the back of the knee. The demon roared in pain and its tail swept at him again, slashing Rain's cheek open. Rain rolled out of range of the tail, and, as the demon turned its head towards him and roared, he hurled the sword as hard as he could.

The blade spun in the air briefly before impacting the creature's mouth. It hit the back of its maw with a loud _thwack_. The demon tottered briefly, then fell forward. The point of Rain's sword protruded from the back of its skull. Rain walked over to the demon, then, rolling the large body over, looked into the thing's four dark eyes. He reached into its mouth and pulled the sword out, washing it in the seawater that was slowly flooding into the cargo hold. More boards were buckling. Rain ran back up the stairs and jumped into the last lifeboat. As the lifeboat hit the water and they began paddling away as fast as they could to join the others, the ship buckled, bulging slightly in the middle before coming apart with a loud _crack_ that echoed across the water and flung pieces of wood everywhere as the ship exploded outwards.

Katrina was in the lifeboat with him. "You're hurt…" she said, motioning to the wounds on his shoulder and cheek, and to the trio of nasty gashes that he had gotten when the demon had hit him with its claws. Rain waved her off. "First see to the others. Any injuries?"

The ranking officer among the hares shook his head. "No. We managed to get a fair amount of weaponry off the ship, but all the supplies were in the cargo hold, which we couldn't get to because of the demon."

Rain looked in each boat, counting heads. Fifty hares, Katrina, and himself. He looked at her. "Where's Airon?"

Katrina looked around, then, after seeing no sign of their young friend, dove into the dark water. Rain stared after her, but the shadow of her form was quickly lost among the debris from the ship and the poor light.

As the lifeboats were paddled towards the beach, one hare in Rain's boat pointed. "Here she comes."

Rain helped Katrina into the boat. In her arms she carried a limp form. Airon. She looked at him, sadness in her eyes. "He's dead."

Rain carefully moved over to him. "Oh no…" he whispered as he looked at the young mouse's face. He looked up at Katrina and put a paw on her shoulder, drawing her close. "We'll bury him when we get to the shore."

One of the hares attempted to brighten things up. "We saved your weapons, Rain."

Rain thanked the hare and put the spear and bow to one side. He looked back at Katrina. "Where did you find him?"

"Under the hole that the demon made in the cargo hold."

So Airon had still been in the cargo hold when the attack came. After the demon smashed through the decks he had been hit by it and catapulted through the floor, dying instantly. Rain closed his eyes, trying to keep tears of anger from leaking out of them. Another life wasted. These monsters had a lot to answer for.

The boats reached the shore as it was starting to get dark. Through the clouds, some of dusk's crimson light was managing to seep through. Rain and Katrina stood on a cliff overlooking the sea. They had buried Airon and built a little altar out of stones, each carved with a different sigil, for protection against desecration, erosion, or time.

Katrina wept into Rain's shoulder. Rain hugged her reassuringly. "We've all lost loved ones, Katrina. And I promise you that we will avenge them all. Your father, my mother, Airon, everyone we've lost."

Katrina sniffed and nodded into his tunic. Rain smiled. "He's with us in spirit." He hugged her one last time before going down the path in the cliffs to the large cave where the hares had made camp. He sighed. _Too many are dying. Far too many._

The group slept peacefully that night, missing the flutter of wings and the rapid _tick tick tick_ of claws as they skittered across the pebbly beach. They missed the steady _thud_ of large feet marching away.

The demons were retreating. Preparing for the last battle.

**There you go. A long chapter to make up for the short one. I know that some of you are probably thinking "Guns in Redwall? Booooooo!" but in war, technology moves pretty fast. And it makes sense that everyone would be trying to think of a magic bullet to win. Har har. Magic bullet. Har har. (That was lame.) R and R anyway! Feel free to bemoan your feelings about Airon in the reviews. Or PM me to rant about it. **


	10. Southsward

The next morning, fifty hares, a squirrel, and an ottermaid prepared to leave. Forming up in a column, they began to march up the path. Rain, who was near the back of the column with Katrina, fingered the weapon that Airon had made with the hares. He sighed. _I will put this to good use, Airon. I will use it for the purpose you dreamt of._

Katrina looked around as they came to the cliffs and out onto the ashy grass. Rain looked at her. "What is it?"

"I can't hear anything. No demons. It's like they've all just…disappeared."

Rain's mouth worked for a moment, then shut. "What going on?" he wondered aloud.

The group walked for most of the day, not stopping except for short breaks every now and again. When they entered the remains of a charred forest, Rain suddenly loosened his sword in its sheath. Drawing it, he pointed to the seemingly silent woods. "I can hear you moving, so you can stop skulking around!"

The column stopped, the hares looking back at Rain with confused stares. Katrina put a paw on his shoulder. "What is it, Rain?"

Rain didn't answer her, walking into the woods. He kept his head moving, eyes darting everywhere, even up and down. Turning in another direction, he came face to face with an arrowhead. The squirrel holding it glared at him. He spoke. "You speak so loudly that I could have shot you in the dark, interloper."

The Long Patrol hares looked around to see that they were similarly threatened. Various woodlanders surrounded them, menacing them with weapons. Rain backed up. "We don't want any trouble. We're just passing through."

"This is our territory," the other squirrel replied. "You have a Wielder among you, and you are a Dark One. An odd combination, along with this number of rabbits."

_"Hares!"_ the Long Patrol shouted in unison.

The squirrel shook his head. "What is your purpose here?"

Rain sheathed his sword. "If you want me to answer you, have your followers put away their weapons."

The squirrel stepped forward. "And what will you do if I don't?"

In answer, Rain slapped the bow away. As the squirrel spun he wrapped his arms around him and held the arrowhead to the squirrel's throat. The other woodlanders turned their weapons on him. Rain pricked the squirrel's throat with the arrow. "Drop your weapons or he dies."

They stood there, unmoving. The squirrel managed to grind out "Do as he says," from his current position.

The group lowered their weapons and Rain released their leader. Spinning the squirrel around, he beckoned. "Come. We can discuss in a civilized manner, even in these conditions."

The two groups mingled with one another, and the other squirrel and Rain stood a short distance away, talking to each other.

"So," Rain began. "Tell me your name."

"My name is Aren Squirrelking. I would be king of Southsward right now if it weren't for the demons coming."

"You're the prince?"

Aren nodded. "Yes. May I ask your name?"

"Rain."

Aren looked over the Long Patrol. "Now, you can answer the questions I asked you earlier. What are you doing here?"

"We've come here to see if we can close the portal."

Aren gave a slight chuckle. "Then you have come to commit suicide. The army that guards it is limitless. And it has grown bigger since last night. Thousands of demons retreated from everywhere they had conquered and reinforced the army at the gate."

Rain smiled. "Then they're doing exactly what we thought they might."

Aren looked skeptical. "What do you mean?"

"We gambled that they would pull back everything they had to help defend the gate. This will allow armies from Mossflower to come here as well."

Aren chuckled again. "No army can beat them. They are innumerable. You will all be slaughtered."

Rain cocked his head to one side. "Which would you rather be? A hero in the eyes of the survivors, or a coward in the eyes of your troops?"

Aren thought for a moment, then sighed. "We will help you fight them. Come with us. Our home is not far from here."

Aren led them all to a large cliff. Knocking on one part of it, Rain was surprised to hear it ring. _Hollow_, he thought.

The door opened and Aren went in, beckoning for the others to follow. Rain looked around. The place was riddled with tunnels, and woodlanders went to and fro, some staring at the newcomers. Coming to a large cavern, Aren spread his arms. "Welcome to our humble abode. All of you, take the Long Patrol and give them rooms for the night. Rain, come with me."

As the Southswarders led the Long Patrol to various tunnels, Rain followed Aren into another room. The squirrel turned to him as Rain shut the door. "So. Tell me more about yourself."

"My mother was a Wielder. She was able to sense this coming, and after it happened, she took me to Redwall. We were attacked outside its gates, and she died, though she managed to take our attacker with her."

Aren nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss. My parents died at their hands too. They leveled Floret. It was a complete surprise, and most of our guard immediately ran from sheer fright. I was one of the few to escape. They killed the rest, then spread out over Southsward. They had it conquered in a matter of days. Normal weapons had no effect on them. Wielders that we met told us the demon's weaknesses, and we enlisted their services in helping to fight back. Survivors of the initial attack, along with the castle guard, joined the little movement we had springing up. The demons ignored us. They probably didn't think we were that much of a threat. We ambushed a column of demons heading to the castle last night. None escaped. They're massing, and since you told me, I can honestly say that I don't think you will be able to close that portal."

Rain raised an eyebrow. "We can try."

Aren grinned. "Indeed."

**"Certainty of death...small chance of success...what're we waiting for?" That's a good summary of what's happening here. Anyways, in the next chapter, there's going to be an unlikely conversation, the Mossflower armies are going to arrive, there's going to be a rousing speech, and a romance scene. R and R, please! (And please, no spamming or saying "Ew" in the next chapter.)**


	11. Heaven and Hell

The next morning, Rain was wandering around the burned forest. Placing one paw on a blackened trunk, he sighed. "What will be the cost of this, if we do win?" he asked aloud. "The forests are gone, the rivers are dry…what can we do to rebuild?"

A deep voice behind him made him turn. "You can't. The only thing you can do is die."

A black fox, at least as tall again as Rain, stood in front of him. His eyes shone an evil red and smoke seemed to pour from his fur. Rain narrowed his eyes. "Vulpuz."

The fox gave a feral grin with midnight-black teeth. "I've heard about you. You're the son of that squirrelwife that was able to sense us. Rain, is it?"

Rain drew the dagger he had taken along with him on his walk. "Get back."

"I also recall you and your ship. A pity about that mouse."

"Be quiet!" Rain shouted, hurling the dagger. Vulpuz dodged it easily as the dagger buried itself in a tree trunk.

The black fox chuckled. "You say you plan to avenge all those you've lost. And how do you plan to do that?"

"We can, and we will. You may have numbers, but we have something we're fighting for. We have hearts, and that's going to be what counts!"

Vulpuz gave another feral smile. "You can do nothing but stand there and make empty threats. I am a _god_, you weakling!"

"Even gods can bleed," Rain replied. "And you are no god of ours. You can make this easier on yourself by going back to Hellgates where you belong."

Vulpuz growled. "I will take great pleasure in killing you. But not now. I will let you and your armies come, then I will destroy you. And save you for last."

"I look forward to it," Rain replied. Vulpuz turned and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Rain pulled the dagger out of the tree trunk and was about to head back when he heard a noise. Paws crunching in the soft ash. He listened, and could hear voices.

"Stop pushing, all of you! I thought I heard something!"

"You sure it wasn't you talking, Martin? Sounds like it to me!"

"Hush, all of you! That's an order!"

The voices fell silent. Rain walked out from among the forest, stepping into the path of Martin, Luke, Felldoh, and other Redwallers and hares. Martin grinned. "So you _did_ make it. What are you doing out here by yourself, Rain?"

"I just had a conversation with the Ruler of Hellgates."

They stared, dumbfounded. Rain kept talking, acid sarcasm finding its way into his voice. "We were very civilized to each other. We had tea and scones and talked about the weather."

Martin put a paw on his shoulder, forestalling any more mockery. Rain began to speak politely again. "It's about time you all arrived. How many are here?"

"All of the fighters from Salamandastron and Redwall. A few thousand hares and a few scores of Redwallers."

Rain nodded. "Good. If you take me to them, I'll lead you to where we're hiding for the moment."

______________________

It was a very crowded night in the caves. The woodlander army all huddled around dozens of fires, talking quietly as they ate their dinner. Rain, who was around another fire with Aren and Katrina, sighed. He had told the leaders of his conversation with Vulpuz, and they had all reacted with the same shock as the Mossflower army had. Rain's sharp ears could pick up whispers of doubt working their way through the ranks. Aren looked at him. "What do you think will happen tomorrow?"

Rain shrugged. "I don't know. But I do know this," he said, raising his voice. The entire cave fell silent. Rain's voice dropped again, but the cavern was quiet enough that even those at the edges could hear his voice.

"We've all been fighting for a long time now, and we've all lost so very much." He remembered as he spoke. "Friends…" _Airon_. "Family…" _Mother. Katrina's father. Aren's parents. _"And most of us much more. But we have something that Vulpuz and his spawn don't have. We have something to fight for. We're not just fighting to return the world to the way it was. We're fighting for our _survival_. We've been pushed to the brink by these monsters, and _we've held on._ We've survived. And if we want to keep living, we have to fight for it." Rain rose and started shouting. "If we fall here, those demons will treat us like their slaves! They will torture us and kill us for fun! Anyone here who has been a slave knows that it's better off being _dead_ than a slave. Any that the demons have captured they probably treat like cattle! _We're not cattle! We have a choice! We can die and be slaves, or we can live, and be free!"_

The army rose to its feet, roaring in agreement. Rain, breathing heavily, looked at them all. Martin came up to him and smiled. "It appears that _you_ lead this army now, Rain."

Rain looked out at the creatures he had inspired. _This will be a battle unlike any other. And we _shall_ win it._

Later that night, Rain was in his room when there was a knock on the door. Rain came to it and opened it, revealing Katrina on the other side. She entered without prompt and smiled at him. "That was a good speech."

"Thank you." Rain said, smiling. "It just…popped into my head, I guess."

Katrina laughed. It sounded wrong. Forced. Rain stepped forward. "Are you alright?"

She was clearly struggling to keep her composure. "Yes."

"You're lying. Your tail twitches when you lie."

Katrina's tail stopped twitching. She finally broke down, tears streaming from her eyes. "What chance do we have tomorrow?"

"We don't." Rain replied. "Not unless we make one."

Katrina suddenly gave a sharp gasp and fell over. Rain caught her before she hit the floor and carried her over to his bed. Setting her down on it he knelt by her, resting his head on folded arms. "What's wrong? Are you thinking about your father?"

"I'm scared," she replied. "What if we all die tomorrow? What then?"

Rain chuckled and smiled. "We take as many as we can with us."

"But what can we do against them? You heard Aren. They're numberless."

Rain's smile didn't fade. "The only thing we can do. Remember the dead," he whispered, leaning closer, "but fight for the living."

He kissed her gently on the lips, expecting her to pull away and slap him at any moment. She didn't. Instead she wrapped her arms around him and allowed him to pull her upright, their lips never leaving each other.

When they finally broke away, Rain merely gave a calm smile. "I love you, Katrina."

In response, she kissed him again.

Squirrel and ottermaid stayed like that long into the night, pausing only to stop for breath and speak short sentences.

**Remember, no "Ew"s about the pairing. Rain's speech is a blend of two movie speeches, one of them being one of John Connor's radio broadcasts from "Terminator Salvation", the other being Lucian's speech to the Lycans in the third Underworld movie. Your mileage may vary on how rousing it is... Anyways, the "Remember the dead, but fight for the living" is a reference to Hellgate: London, which was the inspiration for this story. R and R! Please don't flame me about cross-species romance!**


	12. Dark One

The next morning, an army marched through the morning mists towards the ruins of Castle Floret. Sigils gleamed on blades and armor as hares, otters, mice, squirrels, shrews, hedgehogs, and even moles moved towards the ruins.

Rain, at the vanguard of the army, sighed deeply, the blue sigils on his freshly made black suit of armor gleaming in the low morning light. He closed his eyes. _I'm finally doing what you wanted, Mother. Wish me luck._

There was a load roaring from the other side of the valley. Rain squinted through his helmet's visor. He turned to Martin, who walked by his side. "They're here."

"Indeed," the warrior mouse replied calmly.

Demons filled the other side of the valley like a fire spreading over a forest. They came in all shapes and sizes, even flying ones. Rain could see Vulpuz. He was easy to pick out among the varying shades of flesh that made up his army. Rain sighed. "I'll give him one last chance."

He started walking forward. Martin looked confused for a moment, but followed him. They both walked together, the light from the rip in the world bathing their armor in orange and red. "I hope you know what you're doing," Martin whispered.

"So do I," Rain replied.

They stopped in the center of the valley. Rain took off his helmet to leave his mouth free to shout, then cupped his paws around his mouth. "Who among you monstrosities is the leader? If it is you, Vulpuz, face us! Come down and let us talk like civilized creatures, so that justice may be done upon you!"

There was silence from the demon mob. Then, Vulpuz came from the ranks and walked down the slope, smirking confidently. As he reached the pair, Martin shuddered and almost took a step backwards. Vulpuz smirked. If anything, he seemed more formidable than yesterday. "So, you still come to challenge me."

"Challenge and _win_." Martin replied.

Vulpuz looked at him. "We will see about that, little mouse." He then looked at Rain. "I look forward to smelling your blood on my sword, young one."

Rain clenched a fist. "There are more of us fighting than those you see here."

Vulpuz raised an eyebrow as Rain continued. "Every creature that you have killed over your time here, every last warrior, wife, and child. They are with us in spirit, and that is more powerful than anything you can throw at us!"

Vulpuz snorted. "We will see." He raised a paw to his army, which roared in response. He then pointed at the living army. The demons began to slowly move forward, their countless feet making the ground shake.

Rain began to back away. "Back," he whispered to Martin. "Back!" The two turned and ran back to their own lines. Rain noticed a number of frightened faces, but none that looked like they would flee the field. "Hold your ground," he said, just as a precaution. Turning to Katrina, he smiled at her. "I love you."

"I know," she replied. She wrapped her paws around his neck, pulling him close to her for a final kiss. Rain reciprocated, hugging her close to him. Martin stared for a moment, then looked forward again. Rain pulled away from Katrina and donned his helmet, then drew his sword.

Raising it, he turned to the army that was all that stood between the demons of Hellgates, and annihilation. "For the living!" he shouted.

"_For the living!_" they responded. Rain turned and started running, full tilt towards the demons. The other warriors followed him with a great roar, flooding into the valley as the demons did the same on the other side.

Katrina, standing back with the skirmish troops, readied her magic. "Skirmishers at the ready!" she cried. Arrows were set to string, stones slipped into slings. Javelins were held ready to throw. The army was only a few dozen yards away from clashing. Katrina combined the orb of energy she held in each paw into one, and hurled it. "Fire!"

A shower of arrows, javelins, and stones tore into the ranks of the demon army. Entire lines fell forward, caught off guard by the unexpected barrage. As the demons milled about in confusion, the living army collided with them. Swords flashed, spears stabbed, and axes swung as the living tore into their enemy's lines, quickly driving the demons back a fair distance before they could recover. The demons attempted to push back, but the woodlanders fought frenziedly, quickly driving the host back towards the path that led to the ruins of Floret. As Rain sliced a demon's head from its shoulders, he noticed that Vulpuz appeared to be absent from the battle suddenly.

The battle was not going well for the demons. Fliers that attempted to carve swathes through the ranks of the living were quickly shot down by the Wielders among them. Many Dark Ones were at the forefront of the army, using the skill in weapons that they had learned to compensate for their lack of magic to drive the demons back more and more.

Katrina saw a large number of demons now moving down the path. Ordering the archers to adjust their aim, they fired and were rewarded by many demons being struck by arrows and falling off of the path, unable to move out of the way because of the restricting width.

On the main battlefield, the ground was carpeted in slain demons. The odd woodlander body was scattered here and there, but the demons were being quickly pushed back. Up the path the battle progressed, bodies falling from the high pass as the demons were still pushed back. Rain stabbed a demon and, while in the process of pulling out his sword, was tackled by another. Grabbing the thing, he twisted its head, breaking its neck. Pushing the corpse off of him, he retrieved his blade and rejoined the battle. Cutting through the horde that hurled itself against the woodlander army with reckless disregard for their lives, Rain slew two demons at the top of the stair and stopped short, the rest of the army, including the skirmishers, coming up behind. The ground all the way to that area was covered in dead demons, but Rain saw that their battle had only just begun. Breathing heavily, he removed his helmet to get a better look.

Another army of demons, this one far larger, lay in front of them. They crawled up the ruined walls to perch on top of them, roaring in anticipation of the blood they would soon taste. Vulpus stood in the vanguard, smirking confidently. "So, little squirrel," he taunted from across the plateau. "What do you say now?"

Rain tossed his helmet away, then ran forward. The rest of the army soon followed, emboldened by this seemingly unafraid squirrel that showed such bravery in the face of the enemy. The demons charged as well, and the battle began with far more ferocity than the first. The skirmisher troops threw down their ranged weapons for fear of hitting their comrades then joined the battle, Katrina among them. Blasts of magic, the flashes of metal, and the cries, roars, and screams of combatants filled the air.

Rain lopped the claws off of a demon before cleaving its skull in two, then spun, slicing off another's head. Ducking under the assault of a barbed tail, he sliced the tip off and then stabbed into the creature's belly, jumping up and dragging the blade free as he did. The demon dropped to the ground as Rain sliced off a fourth's legs, stabbing the helpless thing as it writhed on the ground. He turned as another demon jumped from a pillar and lunged at him. Rain stabbed it through the mouth, the sword coming out the other side of its head. It fell on its side as Rain pulled the sword free. He turned once more, then saw a sight that made his blood run cold.

Preceded by another wave of demons, Vulpuz was joining the battle.


	13. Victory

Rain stared for a moment. Vulpuz raised his sword and gave a loud roar of triumph. Rain saw that amid the black of it, there was also a spurt of red. Someone had already fallen to the demon fox's blade. He ran forward, anxious to prevent any others. Vulpuz saw him coming and gave an anticipatory smile, and swung his sword as Rain approached.

The squirrel jumped over the blade, striking Vulpuz's helmeted head with his sword blade. The helmet went flying, knocking Vulpuz back a few paces. Rain turned and blocked the fox's sword before swiping at his legs. Vulpuz nimbly stepped backwards, bringing his own sword up in a diagonal slice from left hip to right shoulder that cut off Rain's chest plate. The armor clanged as it hit the ground. Rain, blood seeping from the shallow wound that now ran across his chest, countered by flourishing his sword in a complicated pattern before lunging at Vulpuz again. The two fought back and forth through the battle, sparks flying from their swords as they collided again and again. Eventually the other fighters unconsciously cleared a circle around them and Vulpuz and Rain stood in the center of it, trading blows with deadly precision and intent.

Vulpuz swung at Rain, hitting the squirrel's left greave and sending it flying off, also knocking Rain off his feet. Rain blocked a second strike with his arm guard, then spun and swept Vulpuz's feet out from under him with his other foot. Rain rolled away from Vulpuz and got up, his sword at the ready. Vulpuz slowly rose, then lashed out with his sword, lightning-quick. Rain felt a hot flash as the sword lacerated his cheek. The squirrel ran forward, his sword thrusting and slicing. Their duel reached a new level of ferocity as the battle raged on around them.

Vulpuz was actually surprised that such a young creature could give him this much contest, but enough was enough. He swept the squirrel's sword aside then clubbed him across the face. Rain went flying a short distance before slamming into a ruined wall.

The battle stopped. The demons watched with anticipation, the woodlanders with fear and tension.

Vulpuz stopped in front of Rain, who was still moving, apparently trying to get up. "And so, it ends. A valiant effort, young one, but in vain. And now, you would do well to prepare yourself. I look forward to torturing you for the rest of eternity!"

Rain's paw suddenly lashed out. There was a loud _bang_, a puff of smoke, and a cascade of sparks.

Rain still sat there, alive, with his head facing away from Airon's weapon, its barrel still smoking from its recent discharge. Vulpuz stood there, dumbstruck, as a smoking hole in his forehead seeped black blood. "Incredible…" the Lord of Hellgates whispered as he dissolved into ash, the smoke that had broiled within him all along fleeing back into the portal. The remaining demons, screeching in fright at the possibility of abandonment, fled after him.

Martin ran over to Rain. "Rain! Are you alright?"

Rain was breathing heavily, but was otherwise fine. "I…didn't think…it would work," he panted, showing them Airon's weapon. Martin took it and turned it over in his paws.

He then handed it back, smiling. "It looks like your…" his voice trailed off at Rain shaking his head.

"It wasn't me," Rain said. "Thank Airon. He helped build it."

He grabbed a nearby windowless windowsill and pulled himself up, leaning on his sword. He looked at the remaining woodlanders, then raised his sword in victory. The army let out a great shout of triumph, dancing and yelling and hooting in joy as the last demon went through the portal.

Rain did not join the festivities, however. He started to limp through the carnage. Dead demons and woodlanders lay everywhere, blood flowed freely, and wounded creatures groaned. Some of the surviving woodlanders began the grisly affair of finishing off mortally wounded demons. Rain was sure that he had looked all around the battlefield, then sensed something.

Someone was gone. Their presence in the word had vanished. He turned, spotting the body of a large demon, the kind that had ambushed him, Airon, and Katrina on the beach. It looked like it was lying on something…

_No._ "No!" Rain shouted as he ran on his limp towards the monster. Bracing himself against it he pushed with all his might, and when it fell over, he saw the very thing he had hoped he wouldn't.

"No…" he whispered, kneeling with a small _click_ of armor rubbing together. "Please, no…"

Katrina's body lay on the ground. Rain picked her up gently and rocked her body to and fro, sobbing. "Not you, Katrina. Anyone but you…please…wake up…"

Martin and the others stopped a short distance away. The surviving otters from Katrina's village looked at one another in silence. Martin finally worked up enough courage to walk up to Rain and place a paw on his shoulder. Rain didn't appear to feel it.

"Rain." Martin whispered. Rain looked up. Martin knelt and took one of the squirrel's paws. "She died bravely. Don't think any less of her for that."

Rain looked at the ottermaid's body. "I never even got to say goodbye."

Martin embraced the squirrel in a _clack_ of armor. "It'll be alright, Rain. You'll see her again."

Some of the woodlanders suddenly cried out and stumbled as if suddenly drunk. Rain looked at them. "What's wrong?"

Luke spoke up. "In order to seal the portal, all of the magic that came in has to work to close it up. It's leaving the world and soon after, we, and all the dead, must follow it."

Even as he spoke, there was a loud noise, like the wind blowing. Everyone looked up to see the portal to Hellgates slowly closing. With one final, loud noise like a wave on the shore, it closed. Then, there was a bright blue light. The woodlander army watched in awe as the demon bodies dissolved and an enormous wave of magic swept across the sky and the land. Ash disappeared, trees grew leaves instantly, and the clouds receded, allowing the setting sun to shine through the clouds that had lingered for so long. Grass became green and alive again. It was as if the war had never happened at all.

Rain looked at it in awe. "I spent so much of my life with a wasteland as the norm," he said, "I never even considered how it might look if we won."

Martin smiled. "And it will stay like this forever." He turned to look at Rain. "All because of you."

Rain gave a halfhearted smile, then picked up Katrina's body and walked out of the castle.

**Didn't see THAT coming, did you? I told you Airon's weapon would come into the plot later. Anyways, the rest is going to be the return and the departure, but you'll get to see all the characters again. R and R! **


	14. Return

He buried her on the bank of the river. The dawn was coming, rays of sunlight touching the trees for the first time in seasons. Rain looked at the small, sigil-marked dagger that had been embedded deep into the tree above the grave and sighed. _I never got the chance to say goodbye, Katrina. But we'll see each other again soon._

Felldoh walked up to him. "Rain! We're ready to go back!"

Rain sighed and then looked back. "I'm coming." He walked over to Felldoh and the two warriors walked over to the column of hares and Redwallers that were returning to the ships that they had arrived in.

Rain sighed again. Felldoh looked at him. "You miss her, don't you?"

"We only got a few days to know one another. I felt that we would have been best friends our whole lives."

"Friends and something more," Felldoh muttered as he remembered what had happened before the battle had started. Rain shot him a glare and trod on his paw. Felldoh stifled a yelp and glared back.

It was almost madness on the way home. Hares and Redwallers cavorted around their ships, celebrating in the fact that they had defeated a god. Rain, sitting in the crow's nest of one ship, didn't join in the festivities. He looked up at a noise. Brome climbed over the crow's nest railing and sat down beside him. The young mouse looked up at him, his head cocked to one side. "What are you thinking about?"

"Brome," Rain replied, "I've heard your story. How did you feel when Felldoh first died?"

Brome looked up at the sky, looking at the stars that had been out of sight for so long. "Sad. Happy that he was finally free, but still sad. He'd been one of the first friends I made, and I didn't want him to die. But I knew that I'd see him again someday. That made it feel a bit better."

Rain sighed. He was captivated by the stars. "Do you think she's up there?"

Brome smiled and nodded. "I think so. Besides, we have to go back to Dark Forest from where we came in. Me and Felldoh, and all of the other Redwall heroes are going to be going back in from Redwall and the Long Patrol is going back from Salamandastron. Everyone else that's died has been in a sort of limbo. They'll go to Dark Forest any way they can."

Rain smiled and hugged Brome. "Thanks, Brome. That makes me feel better."

Brome pulled himself free and smiled. "So you'll come down and have some fun?"

Rain only shrugged. Taking out a small piece of wood, he took out a small knife and began to whittle. Brome cocked his head to one side. "What's that?"

Rain blew wood shavings off the knife before speaking. "I'm making something."

Brome left it at that, leaving the squirrel to his work. Rain experimentally blew on the flute he was making. He'd started it a short time before setting out on his journey but had never had the time to work on it since. Whittling another hole, he blew the shavings off and took another experimental blow.

The next morning, the Redwallers had left the Long Patrol behind and were walking back. Rain had gone on ahead to scout out the road. Running through the trees and enjoying the feeling of leaves brushing his face, the squirrel looked at the flute that he had finished late last night. Putting it to his lips, he began to play a slow, ethereal song that echoed through the woods. The wind-_it felt so good-_ played around him, rustling the leaves. Rain's paws worked along the flute, though they felt like they weren't his own. He could feel a familiar presence working inside him, guiding his paws and lips as the music continued, flowing around the trees and brush.

Finally, the song stopped. Rain took the flute and put it away, then waited for the others to arrive. As they came into sight, he called to them. "Did you like it?"

Deyna looked up. "That was _you_?"

Rain nodded. "I've worked on it for a while. It's for mourning."

Martin smiled a little. "Fitting, even now." He started walking again. "Come. I want to be at Redwall before nightfall."

___________________________

They arrived at Redwall as the sun was beginning to set. Rain could see a soft light shining from the Great Hall's windows. He had been told that it was where the ancient heroes had come through to aid the living. As the Redwallers entered, he walked out in front of them, anxious to be in the Great Hall to watch them leave.

The old heroes left a short time later, walking through the gate to Dark Forest with many goodbyes. It took a while, and as the sun was beginning to set, Rain noticed that more and more creatures that had not come through at first were joining the procession. Three of them came out of the line to walk towards him. Rain smiled as he recognized them.

His mother-alive, in a sense-hugged him. Rain smelled her for the first time in ages, the spicy scent of the ginger perfume she used to wear filling his nostrils.

"Rain," she whispered. "I'm so proud of you."

Rain smiled. "I did my duty, Mother. Nothing beyond that."

"Nothing?" Airon asked with an incredulous snort. "You killed a _god_, Rain."

"With your help! If you hadn't made that weapon, I never would have taken it, and I'd be dead, and all of us would be dead." Rain's smile broadened. "So, I did it with everyone's help. Especially you and Katrina."

Rain's mother let go of him and smiled. "It's been wonderful to see you again, Rain. If anything, you've grown even more from the last time I saw you."

Rain nodded. "I look forward to seeing you again, Mother."

She smiled and hugged him one last time, then walked through the gates and vanished. Airon walked up to Rain at his friend's beckoning, and Rain sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

Airon held up a paw. "Don't think that. It was my fault for not getting up on deck in the first place. We chose our own fate, Rain. All of us did."

Rain nodded and hugged his friend. "I couldn't ask for two better friends. For however long I knew you."

Airon nodded back. "I'll be seeing you, then, Rain." He turned and followed Rain's mother.

Katrina didn't say a thing. In two quick strides she crossed the distance between them and kissed him, hard, on the lips. Rain wrapped his arms around her, knowing that this would be the last time in his life that they'd see one another. He didn't know how long they stood like that, and didn't care. When they finally broke apart, they pressed their foreheads against one another.

"I love you." Katrina whispered, her lips brushing feather-light against his.

"I know," Rain replied, kissing her cheek. He looked up. Airon stood on the threshold of the gates, watching impatiently and with, Rain noted, surprise. He looked at Katrina. "You'd better leave. Airon's waiting."

Katrina nodded and, with tears in her eyes, joined Airon. With one last glance back at him, they both walked through. There was a loud crashing noise, and the white light extinguished itself. Rain sighed and walked out of the Great Hall.

That night, as he lay in his bed, he noticed the sigils on his door had gone dark. _Magic has truly left the world, then. _

He rolled over and went to sleep.


	15. Epilogue

_I've been told that the old ones prefer not to talk about the Seasons of Fire unless pressured to the point of insanity. And even then, they do it hesitantly. All except for Rain. _

_He speaks of it as if it was the happiest period of his life. He tells me that there were many sad moments, such as losing his mother and friends, but the fact that they were able to repair the damage that the demons had done allowed it all to be worthwhile. He told me the story with great feeling, and I loyally wrote down every word. _

_Rain is now on his death bed. He goes to it happily, knowing that his mother and friends wait there for him. The healers say he only has a few hours left. I will leave writing early so that I may pay my respects before it happens. He told me of his relationship with the ottermaid Wielder, Katrina. I would have liked to meet her, but I could not help but notice the contrast between their origins. A Wielder and a Dark One. Opposites attract, I suppose. From his descriptions, she was very beautiful. _

_But now I'm afraid I must stop writing, to pay my respects for a tired old creature who embraces death like an old friend. In a way, I suppose it is. Rain has had his share of mourning. His life ends with a happy moment. _

_I must go. I feel the time has come._

_-Squirrel Brother Airon II, surrogate son to Rain the Demon-Slayer, Recorder and Warrior of Redwall Abbey in Mossflower Country._

**No, this is not the beginning to a new story. But, I'll give you how this guy came to be named that. **

**Airon the Second was a young squirrel that was orphaned by the demons. His parents had spent so much time running that they hadn't even gotten the time to name him. Soon after the demons were defeated, Rain found him wandering around Mossflower. Rain took him back and became a father figure. He trained him to the point where he was as skilled with weapons as any Dark One, and at the time the epilogue is written, Airon is about 20. Rain's about 80, and has told him the story so many times that Airon knows it by heart. But no matter how many times he hears it, he keeps wanting to listen to it again. **

**That's it for this story! Bye!  
**


End file.
